(Bloomberg) -- State Street Corp. seemed to perfectly time the private-markets wave, debuting a private credit exchange-traded fund in February months ahead of an executive order that aimed to push more investors into alternative assets.It had a coveted ticker: PRIV. It had a blue-chip partner: Apollo Global Management Inc. And it had a straightforward goal: “democratizing access” to investment-grade private credit.In less than a year, though, the fund has faced scrutiny from the US Securities and Exchange ...

Core Viewpoint - Billionaire investor Jeffrey Gundlach warns that the private credit market in America is showing signs of distress, likening it to the unregulated CDO market before the 2008 financial crisis, describing it as "the Wild West" of finance [1][3]. Private Credit Market Overview - Private credit involves direct loans to companies from investors or funds, bypassing traditional banks, and has evolved into a multitrillion-dollar market [4]. - These funds aggregate capital from pension funds, insurance companies, and wealthy investors, offering loans that typically yield higher interest rates than conventional bonds or bank loans [4]. Market Conditions and Trends - Gundlach indicates that the private credit market is experiencing a shift from theoretical concerns to real challenges, with some firms likely to survive while others may face difficulties [2]. - The recent decision by Blue Owl Capital Corporation to abandon plans to merge its private credit funds reflects current market volatility, impacting stock prices of related entities [3]. Risks and Concerns - The private credit market is characterized by a lack of public market pricing, reduced regulation, and limited transparency and liquidity, which can pose risks during adverse market conditions [6]. - Gundlach highlights a specific case where a reputable firm marked bonds at 100 cents on the dollar, only to revise the valuation to zero a month later, illustrating the potential for drastic valuation changes [7]. - The illiquidity in private credit could exacerbate financial distress, similar to the liquidity squeeze seen during the 2008 crisis, where investors struggled to meet capital calls [8]. Market Dynamics - Gundlach emphasizes that in a fearful market, investors tend to shy away from illiquid assets, leading to a mismatch between large asset pools and liquidity needs during stressful times [9].